- Sara says Imee called her to run as VP and win Visayas for Uniteam
VICE PRESIDENT Sara Duterte believed that she was used by the Marcoses when Senator Imee Marcos asked her to join the Uniteam as the President’s running mate.
According to Duterte, she already filed her certificate of candidacy (COC) for mayor of Davao in Oct. 2021 when she received a call from the senator who proposed the idea of running as the vice president next to President Ferdinand Marcos Jr.
When Duterte asked Marcos why she wanted her to run, the senator replied, “Because we will lose to Leni if you don’t bring the Visayans.”
The vice president appreciated Marcos’s honesty, saying, “I’m happy that she was honest to say, ‘because we will lose to Leni if you don’t bring the Visayans.’ Her aim was ‘It’s all about winning.'”
After telling Imee that she would consider the offer, discuss it with her family, and evaluate her potential to win, she withdrew her mayoral bid on Nov. 9, 2021.
Using the Commission on Elections’ former substitution rules, she then ran for vice president under Lakas-CMD following the withdrawal of its original endorsed candidate.
Despite the challenges, Duterte told reporters that she did not regret running as the vice president, asserting that God has a reason for her victory.
“Para kay BBM or para sa bayan, hindi ko alam ano rason ng Diyos (For BBM or for the country, I don’t know God’s reasons. All the time, hindi natin nakikita ang rason ng Diyos (We can’t discern God’s reasons. Naco-connect na lang natin siya ‘pag may ibang pangyayari sa buhay natin (We can only connect the dots with all the things happening in our lives)” she said.
When asked if she believed the Marcoses used her, Duterte responded, “Of course, ginamit nila ako para manalo sila (They used me so they would win).”
Currently, Duterte and President Marcos have a strained relationship, especially after Congress heavily scrutinized the budget for the Office of the Vice President. Additionally, House lawmakers are investigating the misuse of confidential funds in both the Office of the Vice President and the Department of Education during her tenure as secretary.
Mr. Marcos even said that he felt deceived by the vice president because he considered her a friend. His statement was a reaction to a statement by Duterte that she was never friends with the President and they hardly talked at all.
Screenshot photo from the OVP page
